Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts and Memories Grand Bahama Beach and Casino Resort have partnered with The College of The Bahamas to establish the Memories resort as a working campus and a preferred location for internships. The move is part of the ongoing strategy of Blue Diamond - a resort management company - to deliver best-in-class vacation experiences.
The College of The Bahamas Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute (CHMI) has scheduled supervisory and guest services training for 38 supervisors to begin at the resort.
Memories General Manager Gabriel Varela stated, "Our short term, medium term and long term strategy is to invest in the natural talents of our Bahamian employees, in order to achieve our goal to become a recognized regional industry leader."
The resort entered into a three-year agreement with The College of The Bahamas in December 2014, thereby appointing CHMI the sole service provider for the 700 employees of the resort. Presently ranked as the leading all-inclusive resort in Grand Bahama by TripAdvisor, the Memories Grand Bahama Beach and Casino Resort officially opened in March 2014.
"The arrangement will facilitate Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts employees' access to the certified culinary, hospitality and business programs offered by the college, and determine College of The Bahamas student placement for practical professional internships at the Memories Grand Bahama Beach and Casino Resort for the upcoming fall semester," said College of The Bahamas President Dr. Rodney D. Smith.
In the medium term, Memories Grand Bahama employees, as well as those interning students, will gain international exposure at resorts at other locations within the Blue Diamond chain (e.g., St. Lucia and Jamaica), and participate in Spanish language immersion programs in the Blue Diamond Resorts located in the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico.
Over time the formalized partnership with The College of The Bahamas is intended to establish sustainable industry-driven educational programs that impact positively on the economy of The Bahamas and its role as a regional leader in the tourism industry.
Accordingly, Dr. Sophia A. Rolle, executive director of CHMI, said, "The College of The Bahamas shared the resort's commitment to a long-term partnership. Over the years, we have been able to attract the brightest minds in The Bahamas to facilitate industry-related courses on demand. Being able to service the needs at the Memories Grand Bahama Resort is expected to be no different".
Initially, 148 employees will be trained in the areas of "supervisory", "Train-the-Trainer" and "Guests Services Gold". There will be 30 employees in the supervisory area, 10 in the Train-the-Trainer program and 100 in Guests Services Gold.
Outlining the student internship opportunities, Mary L. Culmer, director of human resources for Memories Grand Bahama concluded, "Six students will be accommodated at the Memories Resort (Freeport, Mexico or Dominican Republic). Students will live and work on property for the specified time period outlined in the internship manual, and while on property, the students will be monitored and supervised by the appropriate departmental supervisors who will ensure that competencies and skills are being met according to industry standards."
The supervisory training program will be conducted at the beachfront resort, from April 27, through May 2, 2015.
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